Written by: Press Trust of India
2 min readWashingtonApr 9, 2011 01:09 AM IST
First published on: Apr 9, 2011 at 01:09 AM IST
US has frozen a 1 billion aid package to Yemen marking a sharp about-face in the US policy towards its anti-terror ally,The Wall Street Journal reported.
The US freeze came as Washington was on the verge of rolling out the aid package,the largest ever bid at securing President Ali Abdullah Salehs allegiance in its battle against al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula.
The suspension of the aid package came before Saleh rejected a mediation offer by Gulf nations that called on him to resign.
Saleh lashed out against an offer by the Gulf Cooperation Council,which invited him and the opposition to a mediation session in Saudi Arabia that proposed immunity from prosecution for him and his family.
We derive our legitimacy from you the people and not from Qatars or other officials, Saleh said. The Wall Street Journal said,the US aid package had been put on freeze due to protests in Yemen.
2 killed in Yemen
SANAA: Two protesters were shot dead and 25 wounded by gunfire during protests in the southern Yemen city of Taiz on Friday,hospital sources said. Some 200 were hurt by tear gas inhalation.
Syria clash,20 die
BEIRUT: Syrian forces opened fire Friday on thousands of protesters in the southern city of Daraa,killing at least 20 people,wounding hundreds and forcing residents to turn mosques into makeshift hospitals,witnesses said.ap
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